"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Saturday 18 January 2014

Certainly you have a right.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Will The Information be Forthcoming?????":

Evelyn
Communications enters every facet to town business. It is becoming obvious that the current state of affairs is not cutting it. But, are you going to get into hot water because the complaints are landing on your Blog? I know we aren't allowed to criticize staff, but is a department fair game ?

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Communications is a town service.  You do have a right to declare satisfaction/ dis-satisfaction with a town service. Any time you don't  think you are getting value for  your tax dollar you have a right to say so.

Mr. Simanovskis , Director of Infrastructure and Environmental Services, formerly known as Public Works, has a question at the bottom of his e-mail communication  asking people to let him know how "we are doing".

Obviously  the town needs feedback.

I'm not sure this blog is the best place to accomplish that.

The comments  are anonymous and nobody is compelled to read it.
An email to the Mayor and Councillors, noting it is intended  as confidential , would be far more effective.

And it is private. An e-mail solely to the Mayor or a Councillor is even more private.

Councillors also need to know what you are thinking about things.If they don't hear, they assume everything is fine.

 Communications has four and a half people in the department.The person at the top came from the Region "on loan" and eventually became manager.

I believe there's  a request for an additional staff person in the budget.

I am not well-informed about web sites and such.  I don't have to be . I am in the ring.

I depend on what taxpayers have to say to know how well received  the service is.

That's the test.

Comments  indicate users are  under- impressed.

Streaming of committee meetings  is a problem.  Last week it didn't happen.Don't know why.

Blog comments  assure people they are not alone.

Unfortunately since  they're anonymous, it might only be one person...who would know for sure.?

An e-mail to the Mayor and or a Councillor is the most effective communication

Then I know I'm not the only one getting it.

Prior to 2009 Communications  were under the jurisdiction of the Director of Corporate and Legislative  Services.  In  the first  re-organization  in the last term,  recommended of course by a consultant, responsibility was transferred to the CAO"s department.

An e-mail to the CAO expressing dis-satisfaction with the service would not be remiss. But it would not be as private as an e-mail to your  Mayor or Councillor.

If you are really upset you can let one and all know about it.

Just don't be abusive, It's a real turn off. Not likely to be producive.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanx. One never knows.

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty sure that reading the Blogs is not on the to-do list for a few councillors. So far I'm only aware of 2, Cllr Ballard & Cllr Abel who drop in regularly. For sure, a couple still lump them all together & reject the lot. Their loss.

Anonymous said...


I see in an article dated January 16 in the Aurora Banner a quotation attributed to our MAYOR in connection with the "Heritage Park" as follows:

'Through a considerable amount of debate and uncertainty among councillors, Mayor Geoff Dawe assured council the feasibility study would be in the best interest of the town, noting "If you throw enough money at anything, it's going to work." '

Is the mayor prepared to throw his personal money at this? Because he sure as hell isn't going to get a looney of mine.

This has to be one of the most ignorant and irresponsible statements I have ever heard from an elected official.

Anonymous said...

Not only are councillors from Aurora reading this blog...but I do know councillors from other municipalities are reading as well. Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Markham, Vaughan, King. I know one councillor in Oshawa as well who reads in. Evelyn.... Just to give you a little heads up. A person with your experience (and I don't mean your age, residents and other politicians not only read this blog...but educate themselves. There are wanna be councillors that have just thrown their hats in the ring in this election year who are in other municipalities that are reading this blog, and they have no interest in the Town of Aurora! They are just interested in you.

Anonymous said...

21:47
If what you report is accurate, & I am considering the source with its reputation of sloppy reporting, then the Mayor has made a serious error. Since there was no streaming of the meeting, I cannot check for myself. Hopefully someone else heard that comment or can refute the Banner article. It should be done quickly.

Anonymous said...

To 22:16
That is certainly a lovely feather in Evelyn's cap. But it does not help pay the legal bills. If you truly know interested individuals, see if they will lend a hand.
I'm not sure if this will be posted - the Lady can be stubborn about asking for assistance.

Anonymous said...

There is no point in making a complaint, however nicely worded. All you get back is a " Thank you for your interest. We will look into that for you. "